Solar for Everyone

Our plan to cut power bills for all Victorians

Quick Facts

One in four Victorians rent their home, and currently have no option to save on their bills through solar.

Making a home energy-efficient can cut energy bills by up to $1000 a year, but landlords rarely upgrade rental properties.

The Government has announced a 50% rebate for owner-occupiers to put solar on their roofs, but that leaves out people who rent their home and those who live in apartments.

The Greens Plan

Solar Gardens for people who rent their homes and apartment owners. You can buy a solar panel on a nearby building and the energy it creates is credited to your bill. If you move, you still own the panel and the credit moves with you. $1000 grants per renter to help you buy into the scheme.

Changing building regulations to require all new homes to have solar panels on the roof or solar hot water if the roof does not allow for solar panels.

Power privatisation has failed

Privatisation of our electricity system has failed. When Kennett handed over our electricity system to private corporations to make a profit, it made electricity more expensive, less reliable and kept it dirty.

Our plan will hand the power back to people, by supporting everyone to get solar, whether you’re on a low-income, a renter, live in an apartment or own your own home.

Solar should be for all Victorians

The Greens support the Government’s plan to put solar on 650,000 homes. We’ll go further, it’s time that renters and people in apartments had access to solar too. That’s why the Greens have a plan for Solar Gardens, our innovative solution to unlock solar for all Victorians, and will put solar panels on every public housing house in Victoria.

Solar gardens for renters

Almost two million Victorians rent their home, but right now they are locked out of solar and their homes are often draughty, with no insulation. For too long, people who rent their home have missed out on the opportunity to produce clean energy and reduce their power bills.

The Greens have a plan to create Solar Gardens, so people who rent their home can finally access solar, wherever their home is.

The Greens’ plan would give $1,000 per adult who lives in a rental home, to buy into a solar power station on a nearby roof, such as a train station. The energy your solar panel produces will be credited to your bill, and this credit moves with you, wherever you go.

Power Victoria, the Greens’ proposed public electricity retailer, could build and manage Solar Gardens on public and community buildings and in partnership with private businesses.

Solar for apartments

People in apartments have also missed out on solar. The Greens plan would give apartment owners access to solar gardens.

The Greens would also undertake a review of the regulatory barriers to putting solar panels on apartment buildings, and how these barriers can be addressed.

Energy efficiency

Making homes more energy efficient reduces energy use, saves on power bills and creates new jobs. The Greens have a plan to improve energy efficiency for renters and low-income households. Under our plan, all rental properties and public housing homes will be required to meet minimum standards for energy efficiency by 2020.

Landlords who face financial difficulties in upgrading their houses, or who are providing their homes at below-market rents or on a long-term lease, will be eligible for energy efficiency grants. No-interest loans would be available for all other landlords.

$1000 grants will also be made available to owner-occupiers or landlords to replace expensive, old gas heaters with efficient heat-pumps, further saving energy and money.

Further information

For further information about our Solar for Everyone Plan, check out our policy document.

Solar for Public Housing and Schools

The Greens' Solar for Everyone plan is in addition to solar initiatives for public housing and schools.